Diabetes link flags up oral health needs

on 13 December 2012

Maintaining a good daily oral healthcare regime is more important than ever, warn experts.

Type 2 diabetes is the latest serious medical condition to be associated with gum disease following a new study carried out over a 19-year period.

People who neglected their oral health were twice as likely to develop diabetes and three times more likely to suffer a heart attack, the new research showed.

The study into 244 patients was carried out by a team based at a specialist periodontal practice in Egersund, Norway.

It echoes existing research which has suggested links between gingivitis (gum disease) and cardiac conditions.

The new research, which was published in the Journal of Periodontology, also linked a poor daily oral healthcare regime to other medical conditions:

• People who did not take care of their teeth and gums were four times more likely to have lost seven or more teeth

• They were also four times more likely than people with healthy teeth and gums to be obese

It is further evidence that neglecting teeth and gums can have more serious consequences for the body’s overall health, said a spokesperson for the manufacturers of Elgydium toothpaste and Eludril mouthwash.

‘It is no surprise that failure to brush, floss and rinse properly for years on end can cause gums to recede and put your teeth in jeopardy,’ said the Elgydium and Eludril spokesperson.

‘But it is the links to heart attacks, obesity and Type 2 Diabetes that are particularly worrying.

‘The rise in Type 2 Diabetes and obesity in particular have been well documented by the medical profession and are cause for concern,’ added the spokesperson.